good morning. taxing times. mitt romney tries to answer his critics by releasing his most recent tax returns, as his wife endures a mid airplane scare. >> denver. we have an electrical issue here. we are going to declare an emergency. suicide attempt by tiger. a man is mauled by a big cat at new york's bronx zoo during an attack that lasted ten minutes after he appeared to intentionally jump into the animal's cage. this morning the daring rescue that saved his life. and the hunter becomes the hunted. the search is on for the photographer who snapped the topless photos of kate

middleton. tracking that person down is proving to be no easy job. today, saturday, september 22nd, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and welcome to "today" on this saturday morning. >> lester is on assignment this morning. always good to be with you. >> is it? >> yes. usually yes. >> we're about eight seconds in. >> meantime, republican presidential nominee mitt romney probably thought he'd silence his critics by releasing his 2011 tax returns. >> but this morning, that doesn't seem likely. democrats are charging that romney manipulated his deductions for political purposes. this shows he's trailing obama in some important battleground states. we'll go live to the campaign trail in just a moment. if you're an apple fanatic, you're probably drooling over

the new iphone now that it's out in stores. the crowds went wild on friday when it was released. while many love it, others say it has some big flaws. we'll check out some of the alternatives as well. >> still having fun? >> no. >> how about now? >> okay. a cleaning crew strikes gold in nevada. not at a casino, but in a man's house. this guy recently died with only $200 in his bank account. wait until you find out what the cleaning crew discovered in his home. plus, for seven years, one of television's biggest hits. just in time for election day, the cast of "the west wing" is back together again. we'll show you why. but we are going to begin this morning with presidential politics. mitt romney is trying to silence his critics by releasing his 2011 tax returns. nbc's peter alexander is covering the romney campaign. he's in burlingame, california. good morning. >> reporter: the romney campaign insists this was not politically motivated, the timing of it on a

friday when fewer people are paying attention. but nonetheless, by putting the tax returns out at this time, they're hoping to put to bed this issue and avoid any further nasty headlines as we move forward. let's take a look at the 2011 tax returns for myth and ann romney. they paid nearly $2 million in federal taxes in 2011. their total income was nearly $14 million for roughly a 14.1% tax rate compared to about 13.9% just a year earlier, to give you a sense, the average middle class family, depending the way you calculate that, plays roughly 13%. the romneys also paid $4 million in charity last year. meanwhile today, the president will try to fortify his support in the battleground state of wisconsin. of course, the home state of paul ryan, mitt romney's running mate. he has been using romney's hidden camera video from just a week ago where he referred to 47% of americans as victims who are government dependents, to attack him yet again. he's been attacked by the romney

folks all week for failing to deliver on his promise of change. finally, ann romney had a scare in the air yesterday as she was flying to los angeles. had to make an emergency landing in denver as a result of smoke that filled the cabin. turned out to be a suspected electrical fire. the good news is that everybody landed in los angeles safe at the end of day, first landing safely in denver with that emergency landing. a secret service agent, apparently according to a tweet from ann romney's own son, looked over and said, "so this was supposed to be a nonsmoking flight." jenna? >> very nicely tweeted. peter alexander, thank you very much. abby huntsman is the daughter of former republican presidential candidate john huntsman. harold ford jr. is now an nbc news political analyst. good morning to both of you. we've been talking about this for months. he's been under pressure to do it for months. why now, why on a friday afternoon? >> he's had a tough week.

maybe a tough two weeks. probably makes a lot of sense to distract and divert, it seems, probably in the romney campaign. unfortunate to have to release his tax returns to divert this attention. but hopefully this will shift romney to become more specific about where he would cut taxes, where he would raise taxes, how he would reform the code and might even prompt president obama to be a little more specific as well. >> there's still some discussion about the returns themselves. they could have had an even lower tax rate if they'd taken some additional deductions. is in the last we've heard of this? >> no, i think president obama has done an effective job. his campaign has done an effective job of raising the issue. hopefully it will spur a big conversation around tax reform and what each of these candidates would do to empower and lift the middle class going forward. >> abby, talk about the tough week he's had, governor romney. the discussion about the 47%. peggy noonan calls it a rolling calamity, the campaign, that is.

are his woes an off the cuff remark, or about the machinery of his campaign at large? >> you've run a campaign before. he is the one driving the campaign. he's the one that has the pulpit to speak. i think releasing the tax returns -- look, early voting started yesterday. this campaign is very much -- the election is under way at the point. i think for them, every move they make is based on internal polling, and they're seeing that people still care about his tax returns. what i don't understand is why they would release just a partial sum marry. why not release the whole thing? might as well not release them at all in that case. but i don't think the tax returns is going to make that much of a difference. what is the big issue here is the fact that he's not winning the message on the economy and national security. beyond the fact that he's not the most likable candidate or the most relatable candidate. >> turning to the president, congressman, he's had some issues this week as well talking about change inside washington, versus outside washington. how difficult is it to convince americans that change will be

easier in the second term? >> that's the president's great, great challenge. the narrative he's got to develop over the next several days as we get closer to the debate by the next several days, that's what i mean. i think the winner of this first debate, to abby's point about national security and the economy and growth and about the economy, i speak of entitlement reform and so forth, whichever one of these candidates is able to get to that narrative first and get to convincing the american people first about how he will change and grow america, that's the candidate that will be with the advantage. the polling, as important as it is as a snapshot, it's not definitive about where this race will end. >> before we go, take a look at some battleground states. romney is trailing in colorado, wisconsin, iowa. nbc also showing him trailing in the big battlegrounds of florida, ohio, virginia. play campaign manager for me, abby. what does he need to do to get momentum in those states? >> he needs to define his message. he's not had a consistent message. he needs to really speak to what he stands for.

he hasn't talked specifics. i think either side -- i just want to speak really quickly about my generation here. neither side has spoken really in-depth about the two issues that matter most, global competitiveness and our debt and spending. that's going to fall on our shoulders. i hope we begin in the last six weeks to see a real debate about the issues. >> we're going to see a debate, all right. >> the winner of the october 3rd debate has the advantage heading into the last three or four weeks of the campaign. i agree with abby. >> thank you very much. let's get a check of the rest of this morning's top stories. craig melvin is at the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. it must have been a terrifying ten minutes. that's how long officials at the bronx zoo say a 25-year-old man was mauled inside a tiger exhibit friday. the man was bitten multiple times after leaping into the area from an overhead monorail. workers had to use a fire extinguisher to get the 400-pound tiger off the man. he is in critical condition this morning. investigators are now trying to

learn more about what appears to be a highly unusual suicide attempt. there's been an unprecedented show of public anger at libya's rampant militias. hundreds of protesters angry over the killing of the u.s. ambassador to libya stormed their compound of the islamic extremist militia suspected in the attack. they set fire to the building and handed the militiamen over to libya's national army. hundreds of american airlines flights were cancelled this week and hundreds more delayed after an increase in maintenance write-ups. nbc's mark potter has reaction. >> reporter: with the labor battle between american airlines and its pilots heating up, passengers feel caught in the middle and worry about the company's future. >> i hope they survive this, you know. i hope it's a tough time right now. >> reporter: after american filed for bankruptcy last year it cut wages and benefits, agreed to by the flight attendants and ground workers but not the 7,500 pilots. now there are increased flight

cancellations, nearly 400 this week according to flightstats.com. so far this month, only 49% of american flights have been on time, compared to 79% this time last september. the airline accuses its pilots of increasingly calling in sick and filing excessive mechanical complaints. the pilots union says it's a problem of aging aircraft and not enough mechanics. >> you've got a lot of sick airplanes and not sick pilots right now. there's a bit of a perfect storm with regards to the maintenance. >> reporter: but an american spokesman says it's a newly created problem. >> we were running a good airline throughout this year until this recent time. what's changed? everything's the same except for all these write-ups. >> reporter: airline analysts say what might change is passenger loyalty if flight disruptions continue. a freshman student in minnesota has played his first and last football game. eric watt is scheduled for

spine-fusing surgery, which will correct his scoliosis next month. but that means he has to give up football, since a hit could paralyze him. so a senior player stepped aside friday night to give him a final chance to play, and in an ending scripted for hollywood, watt muscles one in for a touchdown and his teammates swarm him. finally this morning, it was a chance to feel like you were flying, if only for a moment. more than 280 people in taiwan's capital trying to see who could propel themselves farthest today using only human power. one contestant managed to fly more than 131 feet. a lot of folks didn't get that far, as you can see there. there were a variety of flying devices at this year's taiwan birdman contest. not all of them inspired by birds or planes. in fact, that appears to be an angry bird there, though. there was a milkshake before that. that is the news for now. >> that was more falling than flying. >> yeah. >> one guy was in a big diet

coke and just backed down. >> that's the kind of thing i can actually see you doing. and for fun. not for work. >> you mean jenna, right? >> of course he meant jenna. >> thanks, craig. dylan dreyer is here with a check of your forecast. >> speak of fall, today is the first day of fall. too cheese write? >> no, great transition. >> we are going to see fall move in with a vengeance. up across the dakotas, frost advisories. temperatures up in that area in the 20s this morning. i know it's fall, but that's just a little bit too cool. fargo, 33 degrees to start off the day. we'll top out in the 50s in the western great lakes and up through the dakotas. on the other side of that, in the northern rockies, we're looking at the potential for p >> happy fall everyone or some folks like to call it autumn. fall officially begins at 10:49 this morning. as far as your forecast today,

looks pretty good with some building clouds. 82 to 86 and that's your latest forecast. jenna? if you're one of the lucky ones, you're probably holding a new iphone in your hapds right now. or maybe you slept with it right next to your bed. sales are through the roof and experts predict apple could sell as many as ten million iphone 5s through the weekend. nbc's stephanie gosk went to see what the excitement is all about. >> reporter: unchecked, unbridled joy. the iphone 5 is finally in hand. at least it is for those willing to wait in line. >> i goat go home and sleep now. >> reporter: apple is calling it

the thinnest, lightest, fastest yet. demand is soaring. >> yeah! i already got a missed call on that thing. >> reporter: in 2007 when the late steve jobs launched the original iphone, one million sold in three months. in latest version may sell ten million in the next ten days. in new york, we noticed a majority of customers waiting in line were chinese, carrying lots of cash. many of these iphones will be resold at higher prices in china, where sales are tightly controlled. i've got a blackberry, an old one, which is a bit like showing up as your kids' homecoming dance and doing the twist. it's what apple has done so well, leaving the competition in the dust. but there's one korean company that's becoming more than just a nuisance. smart phone maker samsung takes direct aim at the iphone 5 in this commercial. >> the connect ser aer is all d. what does that even mean? >> your grandmother owns an

iphone. it's cool. >> reporter: there are more criticisms, too. the new iphone connecter won't fit old accessories and apple's mapping software is flawed. beware of roads running off the hoover dam. but criticisms and slip-ups don't seem to be making a difference. do you think apple still has that cachet completely? >> absolutely. absolutely. >> reporter: at least for now, if it's new and it's apple, it's flying off the shelves. for "today," stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york. >> and we're going to have the new iphone 5 here a little bit later and we'll see if it is the right one for you. health news now. just last week, new york city's board of health approved a ban on those super size beverages. now there's new scientific evidence those sugary drinks and wider waistlines go hand in hand, especially when it comes to kids.

>> reporter: how much sugary beverages were you drinking? >> this doctor counsels young people trying to lose weight. >> sugary beverages can affect weight quite quickly. >> reporter: 17-year-old mark ruiz was one of 224 overweight or obese adolescents who participated in the study. half of the households got calorie-free drinks and were encouraged to give up sugar sweetened beverages. >> i got used to drinking the water, always having the water right by me, always reaching for the water. >> reporter: after a year, the kids getting the noncalorie drinks gained four pounds less on average than those not getting them. another much larger study looked at adults and concentrated on the emerging understanding of how some people are genetically disposed to put on extra weight. >> people that are genetically

predisposed to gaining weight or becoming obese are much more likely to do so if they drink soda or sugar-sweetened beverages. >> reporter: scientists increasingly believe that sugary drinks put on more weight than the same number of calories in other foods. >> such massive doses of sugar in liquid form may completely undermine the body's ability to regulate its weight, especially for people who are susceptible. >> reporter: the american beverage association responded in a written statement. sugar-sweetened beverages are not driving obesity. by every measure, sugar-sweetened beverages play a small and declining role in the american diet. many scientists say this latest evidence shows that role needs to decline even further. and now here's jenna. it's the end of an era for the space shuttle program. the last shuttle built. the endeavor is now in los angeles where it will become part of a spectacular museum

exhibit. kristen dahlgren now on the endeavor's final flights. >> reporter: it was the final flight, a victory lap around california, piggy backed past landmarks like the golden gate bridge and the hollywood sign. >> oh, right there! right over there! >> what a sight. never seen anything like that in my life. >> reporter: above communities where engineers build endeavor 21 years ago. bill roberts worked on shuttles for decades. >> southern california is definitely the home of endeavor. we're very glad to see her come here. >> and liftoff of the maiden voyage of endeavor. >> reporter: the orbiter that traveled 123 million miles through space touched down for the last time at los angeles international airport, but it's the final earth-bound leg of its trip, the 12 miles from l.a.x. through city streets to the california science center that has some wishing the shuttle had stayed away. gina fields grew up in this neighborhood. >> we just wake up the our tree being cut down, our childhood being taken away.

it's really heartbreaking. >> reporter: 400 trees are being removed to make way for endeavor's 78-foot wingspan. final approval was given after a heated public hearing this week. >> i'm tired of people coming through our community doing things behind our backs. >> reporter: and while the california science center has agreed to plant at least two trees for every one lost, repair sidewalks and create scholarships, resident wonder if there wasn't a better way. >> 94 million miles to mars and land on mars, then we can go 12 miles to the science center without cutting these trees. >> reporter: nasa and the museum say cutting up endeavor instead isn't an option because of its fragile and irreplaceable tile shield. >> there's huge value in look at something that's genuine because it's inspiring and you know that everything that you see is there specifically for a reason. every scorch mark you see, every dent that you see, everything that is there is revealing what the orbiter did and why it did

it. >> reporter: for "today," kristen dahlgren. now to the emotional visit to this country by the nobel peace prize recipient, it was her first visit to the u.s. since being freed after years of house arrest. she sat down for a rare interview with nbc's ann curry. >> it is a privilege. and it is also very enjoyable. i like your president. >> did you ask him to lift economic sanctions on burma? >> i had already discussed this with the members of congress the previous day. >> would you like to see these economic sanctions lifted? >> yes. because i think that we must now learn to stand on our own feet and not depend on the sanctions to push us towards democracy. >> you have called democracy, though flawed, a beacon of hope. you have become now a beacon of hope to so many. >> flawed as well. >> but what is the most

important message that you have to all the people around the world who are struggling as you have for freedom and democracy? >> it's the same struggle for everybody everywhere. because unless we are free, we cannot really realize our own potential. >> one of the things that people admire about you is that you did not give up. >> it never occurred to me to give up. >> but there were moments, i'm certain, that you felt all hope might be lost. >> no, never. i was not always thinking of hope. i was always thinking of what to do next. >> i feel a need to ask how you survived emotionally. >> if any sacrifices were made, they were made by my family. i just took the path that i chose, and it is a choice i made, not a sacrifice. >> because it was for something that mattered. >> to me, yes. >> do you know why this belief was so important to you to give

up so much? >> my mother always brought me up to understand that my father loved his country, and of course, i always knew that he didn't tlolive to see his dream come true. he died just before we regained independence. and i suppose always i wanted to realize his dream for him. >> and you have. >> not yet. >> you will. >> i hope so. >> and on that moment, will you feel your father with you standing there? >> i always feel him with me anyway. >> do you rule out the possibility of ever running for president of your country? >> no. if you're a politician, you never rule out such a possibility. >> ann curry with aung san suu kyi. remarkable interview. still to come, a cleanup crew strikes

still to come on "today," justin bieber's mom patty is here to open up about the struggles she's faced earlier in life. plus, high fashion on a frugal budget. but first, these messages. >> good morning everyone. i'm jennifer franciotti. the time right now 7:25. here's a look at some of the morning's top stories. first lady michelle obama

received a rock star treatment as she spoke at a fund-raising event at morgan state university on friday. mrs. obama was the guest of honor at the fund-raiser that included a vip reception and a speech to some 2,000 people at the murphy fine arts center. the crowd included people of all ages, tv cameras were not allowed inside. only print reporters. supporters described a focus on health care and education. >> college students receiving pell grants. i'm a student here, graduating senior. i go to school on federal aid. if it wasn't for the bills that barack obama has passed, i would be unable to attend. so that was a highlight. >> it was beyond anything i have ever heard. i have never heard anyone walk on a stage and get such an eruption of powerful love. >> ticket prices for the fund-raiser ranged from $100 to $10,000. that's quite a spread. students at sick more county schools will be a bit cooler next year. they will be receiving air

conditioning systems. they include carol manor, seven oaks as well as hereford middle school. 12 more schools are scheduled for the improvement in 2014. for a complete list, head to the edge kags alert page at wbal tv.com. the orioles run for the playoffs continues against the boston red sox today. fans will get chance to buy post season tickets but if you want a shot at getting a seat at one of those playoff games you're going to want to be online. you can't do it in person. post season tickets will be available beginning at 10:00 this morning. fans will only be allowed to buy eight at a time, so good luck to you. we're back in just a moment with a look at your

>> welcome back. at 10:49 today will officially be fall. that means good-bye to summer unfortunately. winter's right around the corner. let's enjoy fall. current temperatures 68 downtown. 64 at bwi. 69 in annapolis. 63 westminster. 67 in ocean city. throughout the day today, we'll have relatively nice weather. partly cloudy conditions. a front is on the way. with this front could bring a couple chances of showers. we'll give it a 40% chance. so your weather for today. 82 to 86 degrees under partly cloudy conditions. once that front moves through though, cooler temperatures behind it. we could be in the 50s for kickoff for the ravens game

sunday. >> thanks for joining us. we'll have another update at 6:57. see you there. and we're back on this saturday morning, september 22nd, 2012. it's the first day of autumn. happy autumn. we're happy to have our friends on the plaza enjoying the mild weather this weekend. our thanks to them for stopping by. back inside studio 1a. le lester is on assignment. coming up, justin bieber's mom is here. >> her son is one of the world's top pop stars, but who is the woman who raised him. patty joins us to talk about their life together and how she's overcome some major challenges in her life. and we'll look at some ways to save money and make some too by going to consignment shops. you might be surprised to see what you can get for less than

$50 in some of these stores. and later, we're going to take a look at celebrities and money. why do some stars and pro athletes like vince young earn so much and lose so much, if not all of it. we'll begin this half-hour with a story that's worth its weight in gold. it's about a man who lived a quiet life in nevada and when he died, he left behind quiet a surprise. >> reporter: to at least one neighbor, walter seemed like an average guy living in a modest house. >> he's come out in the yard and wave once in a while, but that's as sociable as he got. >> reporter: turns out, the 63-year-old man was anything but average. when he died of heart complications in june, he appeared to have no next of kin and only $200 in his bank account. when real estate agent jerry vine brought a cleaning crew to the house. >> food, canned goods, electronics.

he seemed like a small scale hoarder to me. and that's what the house looked like, too. >> reporter: the home was put on the market for $105,000, but vine discovered the true value behind the walls. >> we're trying to empty the garage, get things cleaned out. it was just gold everywhere. >> reporter: gold coins wrapped in aluminum foil and stashed in boxes, hidden all over the home. carson city clerk alan glover says he's never seen anything like it. >> there's canadian maple leaves, there's british sovereigns, there's austrian coins. >> reporter: their estimated worth, $7 million. so who was walter and where did he get all that money? he hadn't worked in over 35 years. but his family made a fortune in the 1970s when mrs. smith's pie company bought their chicago bakeries. >> there's stock accounts that show back that there were $400,000 in them, and over the

year i think they drew down the stock accounts and bought gold with it. i just don't think he trusted banks. >> reporter: he died without a will, so glover searched for his nearest relative and found a first cousin. a substitute teacher in northern california who hadn't spoken to her cousin for more than a year. but is now the new owner of millions of dollars worth of gold. for "today," diana alviar, nbc news, los angeles. dylan dreyer with more weather. >> a big tenth birthday. how does it feel to be double digits? >> good. >> ten is a big deal. we'll see some fall-like temperatures. tropical-like moisture moving into southern florida right now down through miami. we have heavy pockets of rain, and we are going to see another inch or two of rain, basically like we've seen all week long. we also have a cold front that's moving in. it is going to bring some

potential for strong storms across the northeast later on this evening and into tonight. right now, that heavier rain moving into the syracuse area. not severe at this time, but that could change. we have the fall-like color moving into the northern tier of e country. fall officiallyff >> welsh fall officially begins at 10:49 this morning, but we'll have one more day of warm temperatures as temperatures will be around the mid 80s. once a front moves through, though that will all change, so enjoy these >> and you can always check out your fall foliage forecast by going to weather.com. and also, tomorrow night is football night in america.

we have a big rematch, the patriots going to the ravens. we are looking at a cool and not too windy night. and it is going to be about 58 to 62 degrees. of course, all eyes on that game with the rematch of the afc championship from last year. >> that is going to be a game. thanks so much. coming up, one of the biggest pop stars in the world calls her mom. justin bieber's mother patty opens up about her troubled past and her very famous son. but up next, it's an inexpensive way to buy high-quality items. we'll look at consignment shopping. but first, these messages. all s that keep you connected are sucking moisture from your eyes, causing irritation and dryness? [ thud ] really? [ male announcer ] revive your eyes with visine®. ahh. [ male announcer ] only visine® has hydroblend, a unique blend of 3 moisturizers that soothe, restore and protect eyes for up to 10 hours of comfort. which means all day comfort... for my non-stop day!

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to find a participating walmart near you. now you can help too. when you buy a bag of pedigree, you'll help more shelter dogs go home. join us. feed your dog pedigree. and you'll help us feed more shelter dogs. i'd like to thank eating right, whole grain, multigrain cheerios! my bowl, my spoons! mom, are those my jeans? [ female announcer ] people who choose more whole grain tend to weigh less than those who don't. multigrain cheerios has whole grain and 110 delicious calories. ...more grains. less you! multigrain cheerios

in multi-grain cheerios peanut butter. hershey's drops. a lot of hershey's happiness in little drops of milk chocolate. and cookies n creme. pure hershey's. tomato, obviously. haha. there's more than that though, there's a kick to it. wahlalalalallala! smooth, but crisp. it's kind of like drinking a food that's a drink, or a drink that's a food, woooooh! [ male announcer ] taste it and describe the indescribable. could've had a v8. this morning on today's consumer, consignment shopping. you know the old saying what's old is new again. in today's tough economy, buying new clothes isn't easy on your wallet. but if you know how to shop, you can get a whole new wardrobe for pennys on the dollar. janice lieberman is here with

more. >> how do you like my outfit? >> just adorable. >> from head to toe. >> is it just consignment from head to toe? >> it sure is. i'm going to tell you how i shopped for it, how much i paid for it. and if you're a good treasure hunter, you can find great deals. if you have gently used clothing that you're tired of, you can sell them and make cash as well. most people long for the latest designer looks, but in today's economy, it can be hard to afford. unless, of course, you think outside the box. is this a store? >> no, this is my closet. >> diana mcguire is a master at finding fashion at a fraction of the cost by shopping at consignment stores. >> i love it. i buy things, i save money because i don't buy it nearly as much as what it costs in the stores. if i don't wear it in a year, i bring it back, get money for it and buy something new. >> and that's the secret. most savvy shoppers like diana realize that buying gently used clothes from shops like taylor's

consigners fits the bill. >> looks like you bought some nice treasures. >> reporter: on average, items sell for at least 50% off the retail price. in slow times, that kind of price drop makes consignment shops a fashionista's dream and a boost to the local economy. >> we're currently extended to the second level and duboubled r square footage. >> reporter: not only can you buy for less, you can also sell your slightly worn items to consignment stores in hopes of making a little cash on the side. tell me how much money you made selling your clothes. >> i'd say in the last five years, somewhere between $5,000 and $8,000. >> you're not kidding. >> no. >> reporter: for every item of yours the store sells, you get a percentage. for years, many people shied away from consignment stores because the items were used. but now, wearing secondhand clothing may be considered chic by shoppers who really love a great deal. >> they're proud of the deals that they found and they love

sharing the great deals that they've had with their friends. >> reporter: and diana is the queen of finding a real steal. tell me about this. it's gorgeous. >> it's a designer. it was bought for about $2,400. it was originally $600 in the consignment shop and i bought it for 75% off. this gorgeous dress cost me only $200. >> reporter: her strategy. >> people looking for one particular thing are not necessarily going to find it. but if you go with an open mind, you never know what you'll find. >> reporter: and then we gave her a challenge. i'm going to give you $50 and you'll have to get me an outfit from head to toe. can you do it? >> i can do it. >> reporter: time to hit the secondhand stores. i'm trying them on. it works. >> i like it. >> reporter: and now the results. dress, $12.50. earrings, $7.49. designer bag, $10. and shoes, $10. the grand total, $47.99.

you did it! we came under $50. >> i told you we could do it. and it looks great. >> they basically had to drag me away from the stores. what's really new, more consignment stores are going online. now that is seriously dangerous. >> what did you get with the other $2? >> coffee. >> of course you did. you say when it comes to consignment, you shouldn't just be a shopper. you should shop and sell at the same time. >> yes. diana made thousands of dollars over the years. if you bring your clothes in that you're a little tired of, you're going to get some cash back. she uses her consignment clothes and brings them back and sells them again. >> you also say it's important to widen your search. why is that? >> you need to shop a lot of stores. this is not a quick process. you can't go in and say i need a pair of jeans and a little shirt. you have to be open-minded. you have to make friends with the sales people. say i'm looking for this. if it comes in, call me. that helps a lot, because this is a work in progress.

>> and we should no longer be embarrassed to be shopping at consignment stores? >> a lot of people bragging about it now. it's a new economy. it's recyclable. it's green. people are really totally into it now. >> and you're wearing the outfit that you bought for $47.99 with a designer bag. >> head to toe. shoes, too. >> i love it. perfect example of how you can do it on a budget. janice, as always, thank you so much. just ahead, justin bieber's mom on a life filled with the highest highs and yes, the lowest lows. we'll talk to her about it all after this. 0% smaller needle. a 90% smaller needle. announcing fluzone intradermal vaccine, a 90% smaller needle, wow that's...short. to learn more talk to your health care provider. [ female announcer ] fluzone intradermal vaccine is fda approved for 18-64 year olds. it shouldn't be given to anyone with a severe allergic reaction to any vaccine component including eggs, egg products or a prior dose of influenza vaccine.

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will: [ inner voice ] the only place i can afford. i'm so glad you're home. yeah. will: [ inner voice ] if i was smart enough to pounce on the daily double for just a buck 99 on the mcdonald's extra value menu i can handle this. i got this great loft space. ooo, very cool. i got this great loft space. mid grade dark roast forest fresh full tank brain freeze cake donettes rolling hot dogs bag of ice anti-freeze wash and dry diesel self-serve fix a flat jumper cables 5% cashback signup for 5% cashback at gas stations through september. it pays to discover. patty may be known for being justin bieber's mom, but she has her own remarkable story to be told.

in her new book, patty chronicles her early struggles with sexual abuse, drugs, alcohol, and depression and how she overcame them to raise one of the most famous pop stars in the world. she joins us right now. good morning. thanks for being here. >> good morning. thank you. >> let's start with the title "nowhere but up." where did that come from? >> when i was 17 years old, all the painful things from my childhood came to a head and i ended up in the hospital for trying to commit suicide. i had a man come visit me in the hospital and he said he to me, when you hit rock bottom, there's nowhere to go but up. >> and that became the inspiration behind all these stories. i have to imagine that sitting down to write a book like that, knowing that you're going to expose so much of yourself, is a really difficult process. did you find yourself living through a lot of the painful times as well, the sexual abuse, the drugs, the suicide attempts? >> did i find myself living through it? >> like having to go through it and relive some of those emotions again. >> oh, writing it? yeah, for sure. it was part of my healing

process. telling it was one thing, but writing it and writing it in detail, it's quite a difference. >> i'm sure it was therapeutic for you as well in some way. >> absolutely. yeah. like i said, it was part of my healing process, and just going through and editing and reediting and writing and rewriting. yeah, it was really cathartic. >> what has the general reaction been so far? i'm sure a lot of people are surprised about your story. >> yeah. reaction has been really good. a lot of really good feedback, and people that have, you know, been inspired and been encouraged and a lot of tears. people can't put it down. it's been really good. >> i have to ask, did justin read this book? and how much of this story did he know before you wrote it? >> he did. obviously, i had a talk with him to tell him that i was writing the book. he's known my story. i've shared my story for years, even before his career. but he didn't know a lot of it in detail.

so reading it was difficult for him. but he's been very supportive. >> you've put in a lot of pictures of you and justin when you guys were much younger. you were 18 when you had him, right? >> i was his age. >> you were his age that he is right now. was it interesting for you to go back and think about -- oh, when i was this age, he was here. did you play off how different both of your lives have been? >> i have, yes. i mean, he's been an angel compared to what i was growing up as a teenager. and it's been -- i've been really blessed to have such a good kid. hopefully he's learned from some of my mistakes. >> your last name -- you don't use bieber as your last name. is that to -- i mean, you obviously didn't know that justin was going to go on to do this. is there a part of you that is -- not offended, but doesn't really enjoy being called justin

bieber's mom, that you want your own identity? >> not at all. of course, i am my own person, but most moms get called so and so's mom and they're known for their kids. he's a big part of my life and i'm super proud of him. so it's fine. >> he's moved out, right? he's no longer living with you. how often do you get to see him now? >> it's sporadic. sometimes several times a week. sometimes once a week, once every two weeks. i miss him a lot. he came over the other day and ordered pizza and hung out. it was fun. >> he paid, i hope. did he pay? >> i don't know. i don't remember. >> just sort of showed up? timing is always really important when people decide to write a memoir like this. why now? why did you decide to write this book now? >> i've been wanting to share -- i've been sharing my story for a long time. but i've been wanting to write it down and put it in a book form for a long time. just with his amazing platform that he has, i wanted to use it

for good and share it with as many people as i could. >> there's a lot of painful moments in this book. there are a lot of pretty graphic details in this book. we didn't want to say all of it here. but it's a very, very interesting read. >> thank you. >> it exposes a lot about who you are. takes a lot of courage to write something like this. >> thank you. >> thank you for sharing your story with us. the book is called "nowhere but up: the story of justin bieber's mom." thanks again, patty. still ahead, what brought the cast of the hit series "the west wing" back together. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," vince young is the latest pro athlete to face financial troubles after signing a huge multi-million-dollar deal. the question is where does all their money go? and i got a chance to go behind the scenes of the sci-fi hit show "face-off." it's a transformation that is literally out of this world. you've got to see it to believe it. but first, these messages. cash rewards credit card,thd

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hi, i'm new ensure clear... clear, huh? i'm not juice or fancy water. i've got nine grams of protein. that's three times more than me! [ female announcer ] new ensure clear. nine grams protein. zero fat. in blueberry/pomegranate and peach. >> good morning. i'm lisa robinson. the time is 7:55. here's a look at the morning's top stories. been the scene of two murders in two months.

now david marks is joining four state lawmakers in urging the county liquor board to take action against tb's place bar and lounge. the latest incident comes back to september 1st when a 25-year-old man fatally stabbed a bouncer trying to break up a large fight. for the past several years there have been a large number of issues at the establishment including after parties in the parking lot. >> security's the big thing. they need to consider when they need to close down at an earlier hour. >> if action is taken it would mean a suspension of the parkville par's liquor license. one man is dead after an early morning stabbing in west baltimore. happened around 12:00 in the morning around west northwest avenue. police say that's where they found a man ton ground unsponive. told he had stab wounds to his upper body. police have not identified the

victim. also, there is no word on a suspect or motive. an update to west baltimore shooting that happened in broad daylight. the gun man chased down audi miggens. it happened in the 1700 block of pressman street. homicide detectives are still searching for the shooter. they believe the shooter tossed the weapon nearby. we're

>> welcome back. fall is finally here or at least 10:49 this morning.

so we wave good-bye to summer and all the warm weather. there is still cool weather on the way. temperatures, you can expect 70s in the mountains. we'll top out from 82 to 84 in downtown baltimore. south of us, it will be in the 80s as well. that will all change as a frontal system moves through in the later afternoon hours in the early evening. very cool air behind us. it will drop low temperatures into the 40s and 50s. definitely for the ravens game. so for sunday, once that front moves through, we'll have breezy conditions. temperatures only around 70. i think 54 degrees for kickoff. then as we head into monday those cooler temperatures stay with us. 67 degrees monday, next chance for rain wednesday and thursday. temperatures looking good in the mid 70s. >> thank you for joining us. we're back here in 25 minutes.

with more of "today" on a saturday morning, september 22nd, 2012, the first day of fall. pumpkin lattes for everyone. our thanks to everybody who's spending some of their morning here with us. lester is on assignment this morning. coming up in just a moment, a convicted murderer fights for a new trial. >> the case has been the basis for a popular book in many seri series, "fatal vision" 20 years ago. we'll have an update on the case just ahead. also, more money, more

problems? former nfl star vince young is the latest pro athlete to fall from financial grace. we'll look at why some celebrities and athletes cannot manage their finances. who took those topless ph o photos of kate middleton? the search is on for the photog for who snapped them. but tracking that person down is proving to be a challenge. but we're going to begin this half-hour with the race for the white house. mitt romney released his 2011 tax returns on friday, showing he paid just over 14% of his income in taxes. nbc's peter alexander is traveling with the romney campaign and he joins us now. peter, good morning. >> reporter: jenna, good morning to you. it has certainly been a bad couple of weeks for the romney campaign and they acknowledge they'd be the first to say that they'd rather spend more time on offense than defense. but by putting out the tax returns this past friday, they're hoping they can finally put some of these negative headlines to bed so they don't have to worry about them closer to the election. >> fix washington, i can, i will lead, i'll get the job done. >> reporter: campaigning in las

vegas friday, mitt romney did what meillions of others have done, laid his cards on the table. after months of pressure to be more transparent about his personal finances, romney released his 2011 tax returns, revealing that he and his wife ann paid nearly $2 million in federal taxes, a total income of nearly $14, largely from investments, a tax rate of $14.1%. that's slightly more than the 13.9 rate the couple paid in 2010. the arch middle class american family pays roughly 13%. last year they donated $4 million in charity. advisors deny the timing with fewer people paying attention was politically motivated. one telling nbc news they were released "because they were done." in new orleans, romney's running mate paul ryan met a skeptical audience at the aarp. >> the first step to a stronger medicare is to repeal obama

care. because it represents the worst of both worlds. [ audience booing ] i had a feeling there would be mixed reactions. >> reporter: many convention goers even walked out of the room when ryan took the stage. meanwhile, the president continued his offensive, first speaking by satellite to the aarp attendees. later swiping at romney's 47% comments. >> i don't see a lot of victims in this crowd today. i see hard-working virginians. >> reporter: mr. obama also responded to mitt romney's attack on the president's assertion that you can only change washington on the outside, not from the within. >> he stood up at a rally and declared i'll get the job done from the inside. what kind of inside job is he talking about? >> reporter: also friday, ann romney had a mid-air scare en route to los angeles, her plane making an emergency landing in denver after smoke filled the cabin. >> denver, we have an electrical issue here and we are going to declare an emergency.

we've got smoke in the cabin. >> reporter: with firefighters quickly responding, the campaign says everyone onboard the private plane was safe. a little more good news. ann romney finally made it to los angeles where she will reunite a little bit later today with her husband mitt. by the way, the u.s. secret service, actually, had a little sense of humor yesterday with ann romney on the plane. a tweet from matt romney, apparently one of the secret service agents, apparently looked over at ann romney and said so this was a nonsmoking flight. what exactly did mitt romney's tax returns reveal and why is he releasing them now? for that we turn to john harwood. john, good morning. >> good morning, karl. >> these come out on a friday afternoon. what do you make of the timing here? >> well, i think the romney campaign had had one of the worst weeks possible, and if you're going to release something that will draw democratic attacks, as this one

did, why not release it on a week when it's already gone bad? i think they want to take next week, which is the week before the first debate in denver on october 3rd and try to really go on the offense on mitt romney's plans for the economy and try to reconnect with the american people in ways that haven't been working over the last couple weeks. >> there's been some examination of the rate, the tax rate, could have been a little bit low fer they had worked it out. some vague results the last 20 years. what jumps out at you? >> a couple things. first of all, the power of paying at the lower capital gains rate. mitt romney was able to offset all of his ordinary income, almost $5 million, by taking deductions. instead, he was paying at the 15% investment rate, which is lower than the top rate of 35% that he would have paid if it was regular income. so that's something that people in the investment business can benefit from. the second thing is that the alternative minimum tax caused about 1/3 of mitt romney's personal tax liability.

that's a tax that he's proposed to repeal. and finally, this is a wealthy guy who's got a lot of investments in different parts of the world. i talked to an accounting expert yesterday who said it did not look like these were especially aggressive tax vehicles that he was using in 2011, which conforms with a statement the romney campaign put out from a former irs commissioner. >> we've talked a lot about romney falling behind in colorado, wisconsin, iowa. the big states of florida and virginia and ohio. what does he need to do to get momentum back? >> the very difficult reality for mitt romney right now is that he not only trails nationally, but he trails in all of the battleground states except for north carolina. i think the number one task for mitt romney is to try to go out and communicate a credible plan to turn around economy. he simply hasn't been able to do that yet. some republicans want more detail. i'm not sure it's detail rather than conviction and real passion about how cutting taxes, cutting

regulations, getting tougher on china, all the things that he talks about, are actually going to produce tangible results for ordinary americans who haven't been feeling it so far. >> john harwood in washington. thanks so much. time now for a check of other stories. craig melvin is at the news desk. >> good morning, everyone. an investigation is under way into a shocking incident friday at the bronx zoo. the siberian tiger you see here is one of several that rotates in and out of the wild asia exhibit, only visible to public by monorail. that's where 25-year-old david was at 3:00 friday afternoon when suddenly he jumped. >> he made a deliberate effort to get over the fence. it was not by accident. >> the zoo director says david hurdled the monorail bar and the tiger exhibit fence 17 feet below. >> the tiger did nothing wrong. >> the 11-year-old tiger bit david on his arms and legs and back but somehow spared his

life. >> i think it's safe to say that if a tiger really wanted to do harm to this individual, he certainly would have had the time to do that. >> zoo staff helped save the man's life by racing to the and using an unexpected tool on the 400-pound tiger. a fire extinguisher. >> a plume of white and a swooshing noise. often that's what you need to break the animal's concentration. >> investigators are trying to learn more about what may have been a highly unusual suicide attempt. zoo officials say the monorail is safe. >> it was a really good night here at the bronx zoo because we have a cat which is still alive and we have this guy that we pulled out of this exhibit and he's still alive. >> in fact, at last check, the man was listed in stable condition. pittsburgh police say they had an unusual concern when an armed man randomly took a businessman hostage in a downtown high-rise building yesterday. the suspect was posting messages

on facebook to family and friends. police feared a response might set him off. but in the end, they say he surrendered peacefully and the businessman was not hurt. now police think he chose his target because he spotted a smart phone and computer in his office and saw a chance to express himself on the social networking site. a number of baseball teams are battling for playoff berths now. two of them, the yankees and a's provided a lighter moment when jared parker got into a fight, as you can see there, with his jersey, trying to field an ichiro suzuki hit. the jersey won. suzuki was safe. that's the news for now. back over to jenna and karl. >> was that a baseball wardrobe malfunction? >> that's exactly what that was. >> just making sure. craig melvin, thank you very much. dylan dreyer is out on the plaza with a check of our forecast. >> we are celebrating a sweet 16 today. and you guys didn't even know each other. the plaza bringing people

together. where are you from? >> virginia. >> and where are you from florida. >> so you guys are hanging out the rest of the day? >> i guess so. >> they've been together the last hour. so everybody's coming together here on the "today" show. we are looking at a gorgeous day all around the eastern half of the country, but we are still talking about the sunshine leading to very dry conditions out west. look at all the red flag warnings, the fire weather watches. not only is it going to be hot, we could break some record-high temperatures in the northern rockies and in the interior mountain regions. but the temperatures in the 80s, the very dry conditions. it is going to lead to perhaps some spreading of those wildfires. elsewhere, we are keeping an eye on a cold front. could bring some stronger storms to areas in the northeast, especially late this evening with some heavier rainfall and also we could end up with some >> happy fall everyone or some folks like to call it autumn. fall officially begins at 10:49 this morning. as far as your forecast today, looks pretty good with some

building clouds. 82 to 86 and also, i want to say happy 13th birthday to this set of twins over here, too. jenna? >> thank you very much. it's a 42-year-old murder case that shocked the country. and later became the basis for "fatal vision," the best selling book and miniseries. now the army doctor who was convicted of killing his pregnant wife and two daughters is making a case for a new trial and a chance to clear his name. here is nbc's tanh truong. >> the word pig etched in blood in the family's home. >> i did not murder my family.

>> reporter: jeffrey mcdonald claimed crazed hippies climbed into their duplex, knocked him unconscious and killed his family. in 1979, a jury convicted mcdonald, but he maintains his innocence to this day. >> that's nonsense. he killed his family, there is no evidence that he didn't because there's so much evidence that he did. >> reporter: author joe mcginnis was imbedded with mcdonald's defense during the trial and went on to write "fatal vision", a bestseller that spawned the nbc miniseries by the same name. >> why aren't they here? >> reporter: mcdonald was portrayed as a cunning liar and killer. he mentioned "fatal vision" while appealing his conviction. >> i think that a second trial would be an appropriate way for me to at least clear legally my name, if not in the public perception because of "fatal vision." >> reporter: mcdonald is now back in court trying to clear evidence on his name. >> we feel like evidence is

coming in the way we want it to. >> reporter: mcdonald's source is claiming the former prosecutor intimidated this witness to lie, claims the current prosecution says are baseless. >> we do not believe that mr. mcdonald is innocent. we do not believe that any of these so called new evidence is actually new evidence. >> reporter: joe mcginness took the stand friday as a prosecution witness, calling mcdonald a psycho path and back his belief in his guilt. but a new book by errol morris suggests the case was plagued with mistakes. >> i believe when all of the evidence of this case is presented, that it will be absolutely clear it was a miscarriage of justice in 1979, and this man will be set free. >> reporter: joe mcginness will be back on the sand on monday. closing arguments will likely follow during the week and then it will be in the judge's hands. for "today," thanh truong.

>> this new evidence that jeffrey mcdonald's defense introduced, the three hairs at the crime scene, the claim that the former prosecutor intimidated a witness into lying what are the chances that this could probably lead to a new trial? >> i think there is a chance. this judge has been instructed by the appellate court to look at all of the evidence in total and determine whether or not if a jury heard all of this evidence, would they still convict. dna evidence is very powerful. dna evidence here says that there may have been someone else in the house. and then you have a witness who says i was there and my boyfriend and some others killed this family. jot jeffrey mcdonald. i think that would be significant evidence. >> the former prosecutor in this case and the witness have both since passed away. does that help or hurt mcdonald's case? >> typically these cases get worse for a defendant because memories fade and people die. but in this case, i would say it almost has gotten better. he's maintained his innocence from the very, very beginning,

and now you have evidence that cannot be cross-examined. the witnesses cannot be cross-examined. so their accounts stand. i think when you look at that, the totality of all of this evidence, there is a chance that he could get a new trial. let's be clear, it's very rare for someone to get a new trial in a 42-year-old murder case, but if ever there was a case for a new trial, i think this could be one of them. >> now let's talk about joe mcginness, who wrote this book "fatal vision." he goes on the stand and he calls mcdonald a psychopath. today, is he considered a credible witness? >> i was to tell you, i was pretty shocked that the author of the book was a witness for the prosecution. he's a journalist. journalists are credible people, i think. i'm sure you're credible, jenna, right? but it just didn't make a lot of sense to me to have him on the witness stand, in comparison to dna evidence and other live witnesses. what's always bothered me about the case is where is the motive? >> no motive. >> and as a prosecutor, you

don't have to prove motive. i'm a former federal prosecutor, so i know that. but it's something that you ask. juries want to know. you have a green beret. you have an ivy league educated doctor. lovely family. no evidence of an affair. no evidence of mental illness. no evidence of drug use. >> why did he do it? >> why did he do this? it just doesn't make sense. he's always maintained his innocence. i think a judge looking at all this may think let's give him another shot at a trial. >> thank you so much for your insight this morning. still to come on "today," they work hard for the money, but why do so many celebrities end up with financial trouble? but up next, just in time for election season, a reunion of sorts for the cast of the hit series "the west wing." that's right after these messages. ♪ we're gonna have, we're gonna have ♪ ♪ we're gonna have a good day [ female announcer ] wouldn't it be nice if we focused less on the number and more on how the fit makes us feel? ♪ and all my ladies got pride today ♪ take the special k challenge™. drop a jean size in two weeks

and slip into size sassy. so many delicious ways to get started at specialk.com. what will you gain when you lose?™ when the doctor told me that i could smoke for the first week... i'm like...yeah, ok... little did i know that one week later i wasn't smoking. [ male announcer ] along with support, chantix is proven to help people quit smoking. it reduces the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. if you notice any of these stop taking chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of depression or other mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these stop taking chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems, tell your doctor if you have new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea,

trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. it helps to have people around you... they say, you're much bigger than this. and you are. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor if chantix is right for you. the cast of the popular drama "the west wing" is back together. but this is no reunion show. it's a four-minute public ad and political service announcement inspired bay candidate for state supreme court justice in michigan. nbc's kristen dahlgren has the story. >> it's a catastrophe. it is a cataclysmic event. >> reporter: familiar faces back in the west wing with that witty banter that fans of the emmy winning show grew to love. >> ballpark the odds of you reaching your point any time in the foreseeable future. >> reporter: stumping for a little known candidate for michigan's state supreme court. >> this is bridget mccormick. >> reporter: mary mccormick, as in the real life actress who

played kate harper for the show's final three seasons. but the reunion of stars is about more than family ties. in one version, the cast doesn't even mention the candidate. just the fact that in many states, voters often skip part of the ballot. >> they check the straight party ticket box and they think that they have voted for everything, but they haven't. they still have to vote on the nonpartisan section of the ballot. >> you have a very real reason to watch a four-minute psa about remembering to look at the entire ballot. >> reporter: celebrities drawing attention to political issues is nothing new. sheen is a well-known activist, and celebs from chuck norris to sarah jessica parker have lent their voice to the presidential candidates. >> let it be written, let it be done. >> reporter: for fans of this fake president, it's a rare chance to catch up with some old friends, and perhaps get a civics lesson in the process. for "today," kristen dahlgren, nbc news, los angeles. >> you have to admit, it's a

very creative idea. >> and effective, i would imagine. >> fans of the show, you're going to want to tune in and watch that. >> i miss them. good to see them back together. still ahead, the search for the photographer who took those topless photos of the duchess of cambridge. but first this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," a chance to get a makeover courtesy of "face-off." they used more than just mascara. see my transformation. plus, is the iphone the right smart phone for you? we will take a look. but first, these messages. and every day since, we've worked hard to keep it. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help people and businesses who were affected, and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open for everyone to enjoy -- and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years.

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>> good morning everyone. i'm lisa robinson. it's 8:25. here's a look at the morning's top stories. michelle obama received a rock star treatment as she spoke at

morgan state university friday. mrs. obama was the guest of honor at the fund raiser that included a vip reception and a speech to some 2,000 people at the murphy fine arts center fp crowd included people of all ages. tv cameras were not allowed inside the event. reporters described a focus on health care and education. >> college students receiving financial aid and pell grants. i'm a student here at morgan state, graduating senior. i go to school on federal aid. if it wasn't for the bills that barack obama passed i would be unable to attend. so that was the highlight. >> it was beyond anything that i have ever heard. i never heard anyone walk on a stage and get such eruption of powerful love. >> the first lady ended the evening with a fund-raising reception and concert at robert myer hart's private home in baltimore county. students at six baltimore county schools will be a bit cooler next year. they will be receiving air conditioning systems. they include lutherville, elm

oak as well as hereford middle school. 12 more schools are scheduled for the improvements in 2014. for the complete list go to our education alert page at wbal tv.com. the orioles' run for the playoff continues against the boston red sox. fans will have chance to buy post season tickets. if you want a shot at getting a seat, you'll want to be online. season tickets will be available at 10:00 today and fans lonl be allowed to buy eight at a time. so good luck. w anncr: more anti-maryland ads. from this west virginia casino. they want marylanders to keep coming to west virginia... casinos like theirs. spending one hundred seventy million a year. question seven will keep those dollars at home. with a limited expansion of gaming that will mean... hundreds of millions for schools in the baltimore area... and across the state... according to the department of legislative services. and with independent audits required by law... question seven means millions for maryland schools.

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>> fall is finally here at least at 10:49 this morning. so good-bye summer, hello fall, winter is around the corner. current weather showing clear conditions over the entire state, as far as the western portion. our weather is going to change drastically over the next 28 to 48 hours because of the front that would move through the greater baltimore area sometime later this afternoon. with it, will bring a little bit of shower activity. good news because of the southwest wind, will have the surface low ahead of us. this heavy rain will pass on through without giving us too much of a soaking. maybe spotty showers. maybe a rumble of thunder here and there. so your high temperatures today. 82 to 86 under partly cloudy skies. it will remain mild. 40% chance of an afternoon shower. but those temperatures will drop as we head into sunday and monday. >> thanks. and thank you for joining us. 11 news saturday morning starts

in 25 minutes. we are back on this saturday morning, september 22nd, 2012. expecting a mild day here in new york city on this first day of fall. what happened to the summer? unbelievable. >> came and went, my friend. came and went. >> want to thank a fantastic crowd for spending part of their weekend with us. still to come this morning, professional athletes earning millions of dollars and losing them as well. former nfl star vince young signed a $26 million deal. now he's said to be drowning in debt. coming up, we'll look at the financial fall from grace that's becoming way too common.

>> can i ask you a question? oftentimes we get people to bring in signs that are like good luck, david, happy birthday, bill. i ask, is there really a david? what's your name, and when were you born? david. any time you want me to be born. he is a smart alec. that was awesome. how old is he? >> he's 12. he'll be 12 in november. >> good luck, david. next time make it out to new york. i've got to prove -- i don't want a fake sign here. also ahead in this half-hour, the search is on for the photographer who snapped those topless photos of kate middleton. the person has been dubbed the rat. the british tabloids have even joined the search. we'll hear from a man who says he knows who the photographer actually is. plus, i know you are consumed with whether or not to get the iphone 5. a lot of hype. but does it live up to the hype? it's thinner, it's taller, it's lighter than its predpredecesso. but what if you're not

interested? mario armstrong here. >> i'm only being resistant because i don't have one. if i got one, i would love it. but because i don't have any plans to get one -- odd man out. and later, i've been asked to undertake some pretty unusual requests and do some pretty crazy things on this show. i've never quite been a living work of art like i was a few weeks ago. a transformation you literally have to see to believe. i went behind the scenes of the show "face-off." i spent an afternoon getting facially transformed, if you will. i'm not wearing many clothes in that picture. >> you're always a work of art, always. >> wait until you see how the whole thing turned out. >> i cannot wait. meantime, dylan dreyer is here with another check of the water. >> jenna, your hair looked fantastic in that video. we are finishing off summer. you know, not much time left. 10:49 the official start time of fall. it's hard to believe, but it's here. we've got a cold front moving

through area. it's actually going to give us a chance of stronger storms across the northeast late this evening into tonight. we could see some heavier downpours and gusty wind, too. we are looking at cold temperatures up through minnesota. temperatures say only in the 50s, so kicking offal the right way, i guess. on sunday, we are going to see a few more scattered showers in the eastern great lakes, scattered showers and thunderstorms down through florida, too. middle of the country still mild and very dry. not a whole lot going on on the west coast either. lots of sunshine from washington >> welsh fall officially begins at 10:49 this morning, but we'll have one more day of warm temperatures as temperatures will be around the mid 80s. once a front moves through, though that will all change, so enjoy these

and of course, you can always get your latest fall forecast on weather.com. and tomorrow is a big night. it is football night in america. the patriots taking on the ravens. and this is a nice rematch of the afc championship. clear and cool, 58 to 62 degrees down in baltimore. and that is your sunday night forecast. it's a sad story that's becoming all too familiar. famous stars and high profile athletes running out of money after earning millions of dollars at a time. the question is where does it all go? here's nbc's michelle franzen. >> reporter: they are the athletes, pop stars, and celebrities living dream, earning millions of dollars, and living it up along the way. >> they want to show their friends, their family, their hangers on that they're big shots, and often, what comes along with that is a need to

spend, spend, spend. >> reporter: but all that fame and fortune can turn on a dime. former nfl quarterback vince young is now out of a job after the buffalo bills cut him from the team this summer and embroiled in a legal battle over what's left of his earnings. the pro football player secured a contract back in 2006 that guaranteed earnings of $26 million. young is now suing his former agent and financial planner, writing on twitter this past week, "we are working to rectify some unfortunate financial losses, which stemmed from betrayal by those i trusted most." his financial advisor responded telling the associated press the football player is to blame for his debt and for hiring his own uncle to serve as business manager. some financial experts say young's financial fall from grace is all too common. >> it's very easy to be a sitting duck with all that money and all that talent. i think you have to be

proactive. you have to take ownership of that money. and you have to start planning for your future. >> reporter: in the past month, this gold medal olympian filed for bankruptcy, saying he owes creditors nearly $3 million. and stars from grammy winner toni braxton, and meatloaf, to willy nelson and mike tyson have had their share of money problems. >> i think it's very sad because they've worked hard, and yet because they made mistakes in their lifestyle or they got caught up in the excitement of it all, or they made mistakes choosing a financial aadviser, they can lose it all. >> once again, here's jenna. now to more controversy over those topless photos of the duchess of cambridge. the focus has switched from the photos to the photographer who

snapped them. here's duncan golestani. >> reporter: the duke and duchess have remained out of sight since the end of their nine-day tour to the south pacific. also nowhere to be found today, the paparazzo who shot topless photos of kate at this private chateau. even the british tabloids have joined in the hunt for the man being called le rat, but now a famous french photographer says the paparazzo responsible is irish but won't reveal his identity. >> he was not waiting to make topless pictures. he cannot imagine when he went to this place that one day the princess going to be topless. >> reporter: during their tour, they did not speak publicly about the controversy. that does not stop celebrities from coming to their defense. john travolta told the bbc it's the worst time to be famous. >> there is a right to privacy whether you're famous or not famous.

and i feel that anyone being invaded at that level is unfortunate and there should be a law. no one would like that. >> reporter: kate and william did win a legal victory in france. a paris court banning future publication of those scandalous photos and ordering "closer" magazine to hand over the originals. but it wasn't enough to stop the photos being printed elsewhere in europe. >> we made the judgment call like we do with every other celebrity news. do we want to publish it? is it newsworthy or not? and we thought so. so we published it. >> reporter: a private moment made very public as the search for the elusive photographer who exposed kate to the world goes on. for "today," dunn began golestani, nbc news, london. up next, iphone 5 fever is spreading, but is the new device really for you? oh mario. mario armstrong is here with a look. but first, these messages. i've discovered gold.

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life opens up when you do. for extra plaque protection try new crest pro-health clinical rinse. this morning on "today's tech," the new iphone 5. throngs of apple fans lined the streets yesterday to get their hands on the newest smart phone to hit the market. today digital lifestyle contributor mario armstrong is here with the real deal on the 5 and whether or not it is worth the hype. >> the real deal. no pressure. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> first of all, they're calling it the most anticipated product

launch in history. what are people most excited about? >> i don't think it's the most anticipated. i actually think very first one in 2006 was the most anticipated launch in history, to me, in my personal opinion. the big deal is a few things. we have an increase in the screen size. we go from 3.5-inch to now 4. this is the iphone 5. this is the older model. >> it's longer. there's another row of icons. >> you have a bigger screen. three microphones are on the new one. that's going to give you clearer calls and help with noise cancellation, especially when you're shooting video to balance audio out. a couple cool things there. siri has some enhancements. i'm going to dial up siri and i'm going to say -- who do the patriots play tomorrow? >> what was the score of the new york giants game? it's going to come back. volume. >> apple hopes so. >> it was earlier. okay, we'll come back to it. >> sports scores, movie tickets. they do say it's faster.

maybe faster than inside your own house. >> absolutely. 4g is the internet connection. this is the first one to have 4g. other phones have been on the market with 4g before, so apple is a little late with that. >> what about all the buzz with this new connecter? >> it took a while, but she got there. you want to do it again? >> i do, i don't want to take up tv time, but it works. the connect ser is different. this is the old one on the left side. new one on the right side. that means all of your old adapters will not work with the new pin. you'll have to get an adapter for $29 in order to do that. >> all right. the maps app is apparently getting some bad reviews, compared to google maps. >> absolutely. google's had a big advancement in terms of mapping. this is apple's first time doing actual maps. so you may be a little frustrated with some things.

as you use it, it gets better over time. right now there will be some growing pains, but in a year from now it will get better. >> if you decide it's not for you, you want to look at some alternatives, you've got a few, including one from nokia. >> absolutely. nokia has a windows phone. it's already been out. they just made an announcement about a new one called the 920. if you want to spend $49 and get a smart phone, it's a 4.3-inch screen. >> what are you giving up for the lower price? >> you're not going to have the same amount of apps. that's the biggest issue with windows phones is they really have to get more apps going. they're work on that, but it's going to take some time. >> the samsung galaxy s-3. >> this is a 4.8-inch screen. this is the biggest competitor to the iphone 5. i'm playing a trailer on it right now. it's just magnificent. the phone is very lightweight. fast 4g. they already had it. one of my favorite features is the best photo feature.

you can pick eight shots and it will pick the best of the eight shots for you. >> finally, motorola. >> one of the droids. it's only $99. one of the best features, it's water resistant. a cup of water -- you would never do that with a phone! >> it could come in handy. >> you would never, ever do that. don't worry about coffee skills. that is totally water resistant. >> what do you do with your old phone when you graduate to a new one? >> that's a great point. dozell.com has a great buyback program. you go on to the website and find out how much money you can get for your old technology. they'll send you a box with a shipping code and everything on it, put your stuff in, send it out. >> can we show people what mario uses? >> i'm using the 4 right now. i do think if you're on a 4 or earlier, the iphone 5 is a great upgrade for you. if you're on 4s, you might just want to upgrade the software, which you can do for free, which will give you a lot of the enhancements.

it will give you a lot of the software enhance mentenhancemen. >> great stuff, mario. >> which are you on? >> i'm on 4. >> jenna is talking about the s3. >> i'm waiting for the 7! when we come back, jenna's going to get a transformation that's out of this world care of the syfy network show

so here's the routine. every morning before the show, i head into our "today" show hair and makeup room to brush up on the news while someone brushes up my face. it's deb. she's amazing. while i've done that countless times, i've never quite got an makeup yob like this, though. to be or to be somewhat else. that's one of hollywood's biggest questions thanks to the wonderful world of makeup. a staple on the big screen, it's

now also the subject of the syfy channel competition show "face-off." think top chef, but instead of special sauces, here it's special effects. >> brushes down. >> now its third season, each episode takes aspiring makeup artists and gives them two days to bring creations to life that might take weeks on a real movie. >> they have to really quick sketch out some ideas, communicate with one another and start sculpting immediately. >> glen is one of the judges, and with credits that include "the hunger games" and "heroes," he knows all about the stress these contestants are under. >> it is a very high pressure sort of lifestyle. it's always we need this and we need it know and you start building. >> now, to ensure that i truly understood the world of special effects makeup, glen eninviinvi to undergo a transformation of my own at his studio.

the place, it's lovely. so clammy! that department is like the torso department. there's the mummy department. here you have bodies. there's naked mankinequ mannequ there. despite his books on human anatomy, i kept my word to sit in the hot seat. do we have paramedics on site? let's rewind for a second. this whole process started about a month ago when i had head shots taken, then got what's known in the biz as a life cast. after some quiet time looking like a blue man group reject, we had an exact mold of my face, which glen and neville paige used to custom build my new mug.

this is the concept that we've come up with me for today. >> yes. >> what are we calling this figure? >> well, for lack of a better term, she's a colorful alien. >> i would call her brazil nut. almond face. and with that, the work began. the glue, the spray, the pressing, the pushing, the painting, the mixing and molding. at times i couldn't see. at times i couldn't hear. at times i could barely breathe. okay, i'm being a little dramatic. but it was quite a makeover. one actors working on a movie might go through every single day, but glen stayed focused, and after all that -- so this is my before. and this is my after. all in all, it took about three hours to put on what i deemed the most intricate makeup job i had ever seen. for these guys, though, it was just a walk in the park. and speaking of taking a walk --

hey, andre. i don't know why i felt they were going to take all this makeup off. l.a.x. thank you. oh, we had so much fun. i always say this after these kind of pieces. it was a lot harder than it looks. >> i was going to say, did you say to them when you first saw it i want to go in a different direction or something like that? >> i said i'd like to breathe. two little nostril holes for like two holes is what you've got. if you were congested, it is tough times. >> i don't think i've ever seen you have more fun than when you were standing there doing those moves. >> it was 400 degrees, by the way. i had about an anvil size thing on my face. many things to glen and neville and everyone else on the show. >> you're beautiful on the inside. >> comeback, all the time. you can catch "face-off" tuesdays on the syfy network. we'll be right back after this. you know what's complicated? shipping. shipping's complicated. not really.

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tomorrow on "today," going to preview the emmy awards this weekend. >> that should be fun. also we're going to see "education nation" in full effect. have a great day, everybody. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >> a police officer recovering after being injured in a fire. crews were called to the scene at this complex around 11:15 friday morning afment woman and her baby were trapped inside but crews were able to rescue them. one police officer received a minor injury. investigators are working to determine a cause. meanwhile fire investigators in baltimore county are also investigating another fire.

just hours before crews were called to the 3600 block of cliff mar road around 8:15 yesterday morning. they found claims shooting from the kitsch. two people were able to get out and they were able to get out and warned them about that fire. authorities cannot confirm the extent of their injuries but we do know they were taken to northwest hospital. have you seen this man? he is a suspect in an armed robbery. city police say he robbed a 7-11 located in the 5700 block of bel air road. as you can see he is bald wearing a white tank top and blue jeans and has glasses on. anyone that is able to help is asked to call. here's a look at what's coming up next. >> one game closer to their first post season in 15 years.

where and when you can get your playoff tickets. >> and we are less than two hours away from the official start of fall. your forecast coming up. >> eating healthy food without sacrificing flavor. in the kitchen with the authors of this new book. when we continue in less than two minutes. stay with us.